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Series Description: When Last of the Summer Wine finally ceased production, it had up 32 series, numerous Christmas specials and a 1988 prequel, First of the Summer Wine, with the whole canon being written by just one man: Roy Clarke. Created as a submission for the BBC's Comedy Playhouse in 1973, before the year was up, a full series had hit our screens. A whimsical comedy with a penchant for light philosophy and full-on slapstick, that first run followed the misadventures of three elderly friends tramping around the Yorkshire countryside (the town of Holmfirth and its surroundings). The upper, middle and lowers classes writ large: they were Former Royal Signals Sergeant and notional gang leader Cyril Blamire; flat cap-wearing voice-of-reason Norman 'Cleggy' Clegg and scruffy hormone-riddled layabout Compo Simonite. In a world where men are just over-grown kids, the authority figures come in the shape of some of TV's most formidable women. There's the physically intimidating tea shop owner Ivy, but even she pales in comparison to Nora Batty. With her wrinkled stockings and hair curlers, she's both a bogeyman figure curtailing the trio's fun and became an unlikely lust object for Compo.

All Episodes

Taking flowers to his wife's grave, Clegg (Peter Sallis) stops to chat with the vicar. Blamire (Michael Bates) and Compo (Bill Owen) meet up with him to reminisce about life, death and tiddlers. (1)
[30 minutes]

The complete inability of Digby to catch a simple-brained animal is beyond the comprehension of Foggy. With the assistance of Compo and Clegg, Foggy sets out to show the donkey who is the boss. (53)
[31 minutes]

Foggy has left Holmfirth to run an egg-painting business in Bridlington, but Compo and Clegg have found a wonderful new friend in Seymour Utterthwaite (Michael Aldridge), a former headmaster and amateur inventor. But when Seymour's new invention has to be road- and field-tested, their initial interest is dimmed. (56)
[33 minutes]

In Seymour's opinion, what Compo urgently needs is some tough physical exercise to get himself back into peak condition, and there is no better way of achieving this than the ideal combination of Compo, a canal and a canoe. (57)
[28 minutes]

Compo discovers (too late) that the little black ball he has just tossed into Seymour's pond is of great sentimental value to him. But Seymour is more interested in his new voice-activated electronic door-lock. (58)
[29 minutes]

Compo's craving for ice-cream in remote places gives Seymour the idea that the time could be right for bringing back the old 'stop me and buy one' mobile ice-cream vendor. All that is required is a bike, a fridge, a uniform and a volunteer. (61)
[30 minutes]

Clegg and Compo are used to the sight of Wally and Howard doing routine domestic chores under the scrutiny of their wives, but Seymour cannot accept this and decides to help them escape for a few moments of freedom.
[29 minutes]

Edie's days of carrying a heavy dustbin are numbered. Her brother Seymour has invented a state-of-the-art waste disposal unit and insists that Wesley plumbs it in for her. Will this be Seymore's breakthrough to fame and fortune?
[29 minutes]

Look out! Edie is learning to drive again. Compo and Clegg are justifiably alarmed when Seymour, a non-driver, volunteers to take over the instruction. All he needs is a qualified driver to simply sit next to her [30 minutes]

How can Seymour harness the wind for everlasting good of mankind? With the steadying help of Clegg, an old pair of roller skates, an impoverished sail, and a gullible test-pilot (Compo), he sets out to make history.
[30 minutes]

When Bill Henry, an old friend, dies in America, Clegg takes Compo and Seymour on a sentimental journey to re-create the times when his old school chum would walk gates and climb trees together.Then certain uncanny things happen [29 minutes]

Compo's passion for Nora Batty remains unrequited while Foggy continues to reminisce about his war years and watch his pennies. Howard finds that getting lipstick on his collar is a sure way of becoming homeless. [29 minutes]

Compo, Clegg, and Foggy hire bikes from Auntie Wainwright so that they can go off the road bicycle trekking. The three get stuck in the mud on their bikes. Wesley pulls them out and they all get splattered with mud. [29 minutes]

Barry is having a mid-life crisis and feels that he needs to do something exciting. While his wife Glenda seeks the help of Truly and Clegg to bring him back to his senses, Billy Hardcastle has got caught up in the scooter craze and thinks this may fill Barry's lust for danger. [28 minutes]

Howard's bicycle has developed a loud squeak whenever he is sneaking away from his wife Pearl for a tryst with Marina. Meanwhile,Truly has issued a challenge to Billy Hardcastle to see who has the stronger sixth sense. [29 minutes]

Billy (a descendant of Robin Hood on his mother's side) is regretting an alcoholic boast to demonstrate his skills with a bow and arrow at the forthcoming vicarage garden party. He can't back out as he'll lose face with Mervyn, his greatest fan. [29 minutes]

When Howard asks Clegg to look after one or two illicit picnic items, he didn't realize that they would include Marina. But with Pearl next door, he is not sure what to do and calls upon the help of Truly and Billy. [29 minutes]

Wesley is planning to sell hot dogs to weary hikers and travelers from his new barrow and recruits the unwilling Barry to be his assistant. He has utilized his considerable engineering skills to make the first turbo-assisted mobile hot dog grill. [29 minutes]

Billy is demonstrating the advantages of having a quarterstaff (a long wooden pole with an iron tip, an old weapon of defence) to Truly and Clegg when he is nearly run over by Smiler on Wesley's new deluxe, hand-made trolley. Smiler ends up stuck in a hedge and the only way to get him out is to leave his trousers and shoes on the other side. [29 minutes]

Auntie Wainwright sells Barry a very large chaise lounge as an anniversary present for Glenda, who hates it and tells him get rid of it. Pearl has locked Howard in his bedroom, preventing him from keeping an appointment with Marina. [29 minutes]

Tom is in mid-flight from a pursuing debt collector, when he runs into Truly, Clegg and Billy. They regale him with stories of Compo and his famous skill on his old bicycle. In an attempt to live-up to his father's reputation, Tom dusts down his Compo's old bike and sets off to perform wonders in the saddle. [29 minutes]

Driving a Landrover and caravan, Kevin is nursing a broken heart and is looking for the loneliest spot in the area. When he gets the idea of becoming a Wise Man of the Woods, Clegg, Truly and Billy take him to see Auntie Wainwright. [29 minutes]

Howard gets Truly, Clegg and Billy to select a suitable surprise birthday present for Marina. They happen upon a despondent Barry, who has won a model dinosaur in a competition and has been instructed by Glenda to get rid of it because of its size. [29 minutes]

Alvin is amused to see his next-door neighbour Nora Batty dressed in Victorian costume. She explains that, in the annual parade to celebrate the Battle of Mazurka, she will be on a float, sitting next to an effigy of General Monkaster. [29 minutes]

Billy surprises everyone by turning up in a green suit to commemorate the birthday of his famous ancestor. No one is surprised when the gullible Barry also dons a green suit, although there are many embarrassing moments when he goes for a picnic with Glenda. [29 minutes]

It's Not Barry & Glenda - Truly, Clegg and Billy surprise Barry in the wood carrying a suitcase. Truly deduces that he is up to something serious and decides to investigate. Meanwhile, Glenda is also concerned about Barry and his suitcase, and decides to follow him (dressed as a man) to see if another woman is involved. [29 minutes]

Nora Batty informs Alvin that he has volunteered to take some old-timers out for the day. After enlisting some support from Clegg and Truly, they all proceed to the Scrooby's distant farm to pick them up. But taking out Bert (Brian Peck) and his cranky old wife Sal (Jacqueline Clarke) isn't going to be easy. [29 minutes]

Barry and Glenda unwisely exchanged addresses with a little man named Wendell and his wife while on holiday to their surprise, Wendell (Tony Peers) turns up, minus his wife, who has left him. Soon he is taking up all of Barry's time in the pursuance of his hobby -charming birds with his penny whistle. [29 minutes]

Alvin is disappointed when Nora Batty declines his invitation to ride in his newly-made bicycle-and-sidecar. While he is trying to persuade her, Audrey Craig (Audrey Brooke) passes by. The women's eyes meet, with scorn. Audrey once had the audacity to laugh at Nora's hat at a wedding, and she has never been forgiven. [29 minutes]

Alvin is teaching Nora Batty Line Dancing, Howard and Marinaare trying out diving suits, and Barry is hiding from his neighbour - the Repo Man who, although he is completely useless at it, wants to play golf with him. Then, while walking by the canal, Clegg, Truly, Alvin and Billy see a strange figure in the nearby reservoir pond wrestling with a large inflatable swan's neck. The man turns out to be Lenny -who is determined to get to Ilkley by canal in his swan boat, and become famous as The Swan Man of Ilkley. But first he must fix a puncture or two. [29 minutes]

Clegg has bet an old friend that you can still see the clock in the village over the hills from the top of a certain tree. Unwisely, he sets out to prove that he was right, but gets stuck up the tree and can't get down. Meanwhile, Nora Batty, Ivy, Pearl and Glenda buy a slightly used cooker from Auntie Wainwright for the Church hall. Smiler and Tom (Tom Owen) are charged with delivering the cooker and soon find that its weight makes the handcart uncontrollable -especially on hills, when it passes a police car. [29 minutes]

Billy is keen to marry-off his fearsome sister-in-law to get her out of his house. Alvin suggests that they get famed Lothario - Crowcroft to do the job, as he is currently free from any attachment. Truly thinks that the man should be tested on Nora Batty first, to make sure he is up to the job of tackling Billy's sister-in-law. Alvin remembers that Nora Batty bakes a fruitcake that men would die for, so they manage to trick Nora Batty into baking a cake for them, which they duly allow Crowcroft to sample. He is completely hooked, and willingly demonstrates his gift for wooing the women - and Nora Batty in particular. [29 minutes]

Howard and Pearl are very concerned when Clegg doesn't answer his door - is he all right? Truly and Billy arrive and find that Clegg is merely writing-up his diaries and doesn't want to be disturbed. Smiler is pining for Hermione, a lost love and Alvin is upsetting Nora Batty by complaining about the depressing drabness of her washing. [29 minutes]

The day starts with Clegg reading in the local paper that a statue of some civic dignitary has been unveiled. Truly, Alvin, and Billy remember when they were at school and would hold their breath as long as possible to see who could stay still the longest. They decide to do this, and create some incredulous interest for two passing walkers. [28 minutes]

Cycling down a hillside for a short-cut, Clegg ends up with a fractured foot. Truly decides that the accident could have been avoided if they had used studded tyres, and promptly puts in hand a practical demonstration of his theory. [29 minutes]

Smiler has met a woman who - forgetting to leave her address - told him to look her up sometime. Truly, Alvin and Billy go on the trail to track her down. With the help of Nora Batty and Ivy they find out that the woman lived at Jamieson Street. And Entwistle finds out that everyone in Jamieson Street was re-housed to Pepworth Street. So they go knocking on doors. Unfortunately, the first door has a rather ugly dog and the enquiries come to a sudden end. [29 minutes]

Truly leads the enquiries into the whereabouts of a Co-op Manager who was a tyrant when Clegg worked there. With the help of Alvin and Billy, their enquiries lead them to Billy Pilsworth, the father of an ex-boyfriend of Marina, who reveals that his son, Ronnie, went off to Australia. Ultimately, Clegg finds out that the Co-op Manager lost his life in the war and was commended for bravery. [29 minutes]

Overcome by the smell of a real bargain, Auntie Wainwright has made a successful bid at the auction rooms. Unfortunately she doesn't know what it is, and when she finds out, she doesn't know what to do with it. [29 minutes]

Clegg convinces the gullible Howard that, contrary to his belief, he was left on a doorstep as a baby. While Howard tries to come to terms with this, Alvin is coming to terms with the fact that his newly-made kite won't fly. [29 minutes]

Nora Batty's brother is near to death and not likely to see another Christmas. So Foggy decides to re-create a nice traditional, old-fashioned Christmas - in the middle of a sweltering hot summer [35 minutes]

Foggy Dewhurst decides to beat the Christmas rush by shopping for presents in the middle of summer. He ends up being conned by Big Eric, who sells him 100 Christmas trees crawling with insects! [30 minutes]